Automatic clothesline fastener



Dec. 23, 1930. l G. H, MILLER 1,786,359

AUTOMATIC QLOTHESLINE FASTENER Filed Nov. 8, 1929 util Patented Dec. 23, 1930 K GEORGE II. MILLER, OEDECATUE, ILLINOIS AUTOMATIC cLo'rIIEsEINEInsrENEn application med November e, Isae. serial in. 4415x732,v I'

This invention-relates to a clothes line gripping Vdevice and more particularly to a device for gripping one end of-a tautened clothes line so as to hold the line taut with- V out the necessity of tying knots therein or providing any cumbersome vmeans 'for ac-V complishing this result, the Vinvention con templating a clamping device ofsuch a character that there will be no likelihood of the line becoming loosened or disengaged from the device in the event of a high wind.

Another object of theinvention is to pro-V vide a clamping device for a clothes line which will operate automatically to clamp the line when the end of the line which is to be clamped is pulled to an extent to render the remainder of the line taut,and then released, so that it is unnecessary-to' employ any means requiring adjustment in order vto secure this end of the line. f Y

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for the purpose stated 'which may be employed to render taut a clothes line stretched in either one of two directions, so that when it is desired to use the device,

theline may be lead to the device from any fixed point of connectionfor the other end of the line, when found convenient.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafterv fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which VFigure l is a view in side elevation of the clamping device embodying the invention, the view illustratng a portion of the clothes line clamped in the device.

Figure 2 is an end eleva-tion of the device. Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 4 is a similar view on the line 4 4 of Figure llookingfin the direction indicated by the arrows. l y v Figure 5=is a view similar to Figure V1 `and illustratingthe manner in whichvthe device may be arranged for tautening aline extend- Y .Y Jing ina direction opposite to the direction offe'xtent ofthe line shown irl-Figure l."

The Ldevice'embodying lthe invention comprises anattaching plate l which is preferably provided with substantially circular 'extensions -2 at its lower'corners,` and anup-` cward extension 3 at its upper'side.` There is formed or provided, upon' the outer `face. of

-the plate l, whichv` plate is to be'disposed at itsother faceV against any'suitable fixed "support"an'dsecured thereto in any suitable manner, an outwardly projecting gripping head indicated by the numeral 4 and thisfhe'ad is provided at its-upper face with a plurality of. transversely extending corrugations, indi-V 'cated by thenuineral 5. Each of the members 2'3is `providedfwith an outstanding cy- Alindrical boss (Shaving an opening 7 formed therein, the opening extending also through N the portion 2, and a pulley 8 maybe rotatably mounted upo'n-'the boss 6 of either of the portionsQ, and isprovided at its outer 'side withf'a'peripheral flange 9`-so-that the lclothes 'line passed over the pulley will be Yprevented'from leaving the same.l A washer ll0 of greater diameter than theboss 6 is disi posed against the outerl end of the boss and an ordinary wood screw' l1 mayV be fitted Hthrough the washer andinto the bore 7 and threaded Aat its entering end into the said Vindica-tedby the reference'letter L is to be lead longitudinally over the corrugated face 5 ofthe head 4 and thence over the pulleyV 8.

matically gripped as above stated, a gripping member, indicated in general by the numeral l2 is provided and this member comf vrIn order that the Vclothes line may berauto- 1 prises a flat sided segmental body 13 having transverse corrugations 14 on its arcuate edge. This member is provided at its upper end with an approximately circular head 15 and this head is formed with an opening 16 adapting the member 12 to be pivotally suspended upon a stub shaft 17 formed or provided upon the outer face of the portion 3 of the member 1, a washer 18 being disposed against the outer end of the stub shaft 17 and a wood screw 19 being iitted through this washer and through an opening in the said stub shaft 17 and in the member 3 and threaded into the fixed support.

From the foregoing description of the invention it will be understood that by pulling upon the portion of the line L which is shown depending in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing, the line at the other side of the pulley will be caused to run between the corrugated face 5 of the head 4 and the corrugated edge 14 of the member 12, and it will be also evident that as soon as the first mentioned portion of the line is released, the weight of the line or that together with the clothes hung thereon, will result in a slight backward movement of the line, whereupon the contact of the corrugated edge 14 of the member 12 with the line will result in a gripping of the portion of the line which is between the edge 14 and the corrugated face 5, whereupon the line will be held taut.

In Figure 1 the line is shown as being lead from the left side of the pulley 8 but the line may be lead in the opposite direction by removing the screw 11 and pulley 8 and fitting the pulley onto the other boss 6, and then fitting the screw 11 through the said other boss, the member 12 being swung about this pivot so as to then occupy the position shown in Figure 5 of the drawing.

That I claim is A clothes line clamping device comprising an attaching plate, a iXed gripping member upon said plate having a gripping face member, over which the line is to be drawn in tautening the same, bosses upon theV said face of the attaching member at opposite ends of the gripping member, a pulley interchangeably mounted upon the said bosses and over which and the face of the fixed gripping member the clothes line is to be drawn, and a gripping member pivotally mounted for swinging movement, and having a gripping edge for coaction with either end portion of the gripping face of the gripping member, in the swinging adjustment of the said pivoted gripping member to grip the clothes line between the gripping face of the fixed gripping member and the gripping edge of the pivoted gripping member when the gripping member is in either position of its pivotal adjustment.

GEORGE H. MILLER. 

